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Spring Campaign
The Spring Campaign was the first major Forsaken Offensive into southern Stromgarde. Introduction Just as the Forsaken began their expansion over all the North, they sought to quickly stifle and destroy the Stromic lords just as the did in the northeastern portion of the region. With Trollbane struggling on all sides against the Trolls, Ogres, and Syndicate, Aleksy the Terrible -- known for his brutal but effecient methods -- was assigned command of the Hand of Wrath and order to begin a campaign to secure southern Stromgarde. His advance was slowed by also dealing with the Trolls and Ogres and it was enough time for Lords Arthur Cheswick and Gerold Derry to rally their forces. They were set to meet the Hand of Wrath just outside the village of Lullen with a combined for numbering around 1,200 men. Battle of Lullen The battle took place two-fold; Lord Cheswick and Derry divided their forces in two and each took a flank with a combined force making up the center. Aleksy elected to keep a traditional left, center, and right made up his top lieutenants. Though the Stromic forces weathered the initial shock tactics and artillery barrage of the Forsaken, the center began to fold as the Forsaken infantry adavanced forward with aid of the abominations. It was here that the inherent weakness of the Stromic center began to show itself. As both lords commanded a portion of the center, orders would frequently get mixed up and in the end, the center folded, causing a rout. Lullen was not a complete loss, however: the rest of each lord's forces were able to retreat in good order, regrouping at Blackwater Keep. Siege of Blackwater Keep Concurrent with the Siege of Fort Yronguard After the strategic retreat after the Battle of Lullen, the Stromic forces of the Houses Cheswick and Derry retreated back to Blackwater Keep, to which they began to immediately fortify. With a majority of their forces still intact, it was only inevitable that Blackwater Keep and Fort Yronguard were the next targets for the Forsaken, as they were the keys to the south. Though Blackwater Keep was mostly surrounded by bogs, the specific area around the keep was dry and intact for a prolonged siege. Knowing that they could be in the Keep for a long period of time, Lord Cheswick retreated with his forces, leaving Gerold Derry with the defense of the keep. When the Forsaken arrived, Aleksy focused his efforts in a prolonged siege of Blackwater Keep and sent a third of his force to siege Fort Yronguard with the intention of assaulting Fort Yronguard and keeping the Blackwater occupied long enough so that he would have all his forces to assault the keep's walls. Once Fort Yronguard was taken and the Forsaken force whole again, Aleksy bombarded the keep with his meat wagons, infecting a majority of the force. Once weakened, Aleksy and his forces scaled the walls, slaughtering a those on the walls and taking all others prisoner, sending them north to the prison camps -- including Gerold Derry. Siege of Fort Yronguard Concurrent with the Siege of Blackwater Keep Not long after Arthur Cheswick arrived at Fort Yronguard, the Forsaken forces under Lieutenant Drasko began to immediately assault the walls. When all seemed bleak, Arthur Cheswick and his knights managed to charge the line of Dreadguard and break through -- leaving the rest of the soldiers under Sir Richard Dally to hold as long as possible. Outnumbered, outgunned, and with only a few days of Food, Sir Richard Dally and his two-hundred fifty seven soldiers held out against assault for thirteen days. On the thirteenth day, there were three assaults made -- repulsing two before the third broke through, led by Lieutenant Drasko himself. Sir Richard and Drasko dueled, leading to a draw and both commanders dying. The defenders were then overwhelmed. Battle of Tewksberry Plains After the fall of both Fort Yronguard and Blackwater Keep, the forces of Lord Arthur Cheswick were beaten, bloody, and tired. Soldiers began to slowly desert and flee to the hills -- Arthur knew his cause was slowly coming to an end. With what was left of his forces, he prepared to make a stand at Tewksberry Plains. As Aleksy and his forces crested the hill and the skirmishers began to begin the battle, Arthur retreated against to Tewksberry -- a fortified town. Knowing he was not going to last long, he declared to his men that he would die with a sword in his hand. Siege of Tewksberry Intending to die like a man of Stromgarde, Lord Arthur Cheswick began to rally the defense of Tewksberry, sending out ravens to the other Stromic houses. He knew the closest aid -- that of House of Paston -- was more than two weeks away and they had enough food for ten days. He cursed his luck, but he would not surrender. The siege began and Aleksy did as he did before -- a heavy bombardment from his meat wagons. Despite the heavy bombardment, Arthur still held firm that he would not surrender the town. After eight days and repulsing four direct assaults, everything seemed to grow dim -- until the ninth day, which the banners of the Mynydd danced upon the horizon. Sir Glyndwr, War-Prior of Dyfed, charged the rear of the Forsaken lines with three-hundred moose-mounted Bleiddiaid. They cut a bloody swathe through the Forsaken, destroying Aleksy's meat wagons and causing a full rout. Aleksy retreated back to Blackwater Keep, reforming his forces. Battle of the Blackwater Bogs With the super heavy cavalry of the Mynydd with them, Arthur Cheswick was able to rally his deserted forces and raised even more from his holdings. At full strength now, the two groups moved to engage the Aleksy and the Hand of Wrath in order to push them back into Blackwater Keep. At the Blackwater Bogs, Aleksy set up several ambushes in order to rout the coalition forces; he did not count on the fact that the Mynydd are proven experts at guerrilla warfare and repulsed every ambush with little-to-no casualties. The ultimate battle was decided deep within the bogs where the Forsaken's heavy infantry and cavalry did not matter -- instead, Arthur Cheswick used his many light infantry and skirmishers in order to win out the day and heavily crippled the Forsaken force. Second Siege of Blackwater Keep Emboldened by the last few victories, the combined forces of Strom and Mynydd began a siege of one month around Blackwater Keep. After bringing in heavy cannons, Arthur Cheswick was quoted: "They will either surrender or I will make this castle rubble." Whether or not this is true, at least one entire wall was brought down in the ensuing bombardment. Sir Glyndwr the Intrepid and the Bleiddiaid led the only assault of the siege, taking the castle from the defenders. Every Forsaken was put to the sword and Gerold Derry with most of his surviving knights were rescued; he personally put Aleksy to the sword. Aftermath There was no attempt at Fort Yronguard as the forces of the newly minted Stromic-Mynydd Coalition were tired and bloody and Fort Yronguard was largely of little consequence since it only guarded a pass to Hammerfell. Plans were drafted in order to take it, but all estimates were too costly in order to take it, even with the heavy cannon. The Forsaken strength in the area was crippled, however; Aleksy's Hand of Wrath was almost completely broken and was merged into other Forsaken regiments. It would not be until two years later when the Horde sent Natgar the Ripper with a combined Horde force that the Horde would attempt to take southern Stromgarde again during Natgar's Offensive. Category:Campaigns Category:Mynydd Category:Kingdom of Stromgarde Category:Forsaken Category:Kingdom of Lordaeron